arXiv · 1001.0403
WASP-19b: the shortest period transiting exoplanet yet discovered
Abstract
We report on the discovery of a new extremely short period transiting extrasolar planet, WASP-19b. The planet has mass Mpl = 1.15 \pm 0.08 MJ, radius Rpl = 1.31 \pm 0.06 RJ, and orbital period P = 0.7888399 \pm 0.0000008 days. Through spectroscopic analysis, we determine the host star to be a slightly super-solar metallicity ([M/H] = 0.1 \pm 0.1 dex) G-dwarf with Teff = 5500 \pm 100 K. In addition, we detect periodic, sinusoidal flux variations in the light curve which are used to derive a rotation period for the star of Prot = 10.5 \pm 0.2 days. The relatively short stellar rotation period suggests that either WASP-19 is somewhat young (~ 600 Myr old) or tidal interactions between the two bodies have caused the planet to spiral inward over its lifetime resulting in the spin-up of the star. Due to the detection of the rotation period, this system has the potential to place strong constraints on the stellar tidal quality factor, Q's, if a more precise age is determined.
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Leslie Hebb, A. Collier-Cameron, A. H. M. J. Triaud, T. A. Lister, B. Smalley, P. F. L. Maxted, C. Hellier, D. R. Anderson, D. Pollacco, M. Gillon, D. Queloz, R. G. West, S. Bentley, B. Enoch, C. A. Haswell, K. Horne, M. Mayor, F. Pepe, D. Segransan, I. Skillen, S. Udry, P. J. Wheatley. 2010-01-03. WASP-19b: the shortest period transiting exoplanet yet discovered. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637x/708/1/224
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